1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable computer, such as a notebook type personal computer, a word processor, and so on. More specifically, this invention relates to a portable computer equipped with an add-on battery which can be removably fitted to the apparatus main body.
As portable computers have become widespread in recent years, improvements in portability, battery life and operability have been required. To improve operability, a keyboard must be inclined. To improve portability, the size and weight of the portable computer must be reduced. To prolong the life of the battery, the battery capacity must be increased. As one of the means for increasing the battery capacity, an add-on battery is removably fitted to the portable computer.
2. Description of Related Art
The prior art technology for tilting the key face of a portable computer includes a technology which fits a turn-down-type tilt stand to a personal computer. According to the turn-down-type tilt stand of this prior art, however, a useless space remains between the bottom surface of the portable computer and the desk surface on which the portable computer is put when the tilt stand is turned up. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-76879 discloses a prior art technology which disposes an external memory device in such a space.
Prior art technologies which increase the battery life while improving portability include a method which fits an add-on battery device to the portable computer, whenever necessary. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) Nos. 8-76898 and 8-76887 disclose a structure capable of removably fitting a battery pack to a portable computer. However, such a portable computer is more bulky even when the add-on battery device is not fitted than those portable computers which have similar function but do not have the function of the add-on battery device.
One of the fitting technologies of the add-on battery prepares a groove and a rail so that the add-on battery device can be slidably fitted onto the portable computer. According to this fitting technology of the add-on battery, however, the add-on battery cannot be fitted easily once the groove undergoes deformation due to change with time.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-76889 discloses a connection structure for an information processing apparatus in which connector shell portions for a pair of connectors are formed on the housing of an extended unit, the shell portions and the housing having formed thereon the shell portions are integrally molded from a resin material, and metal plating is applied to the entire surface.
As described above, when the tilt stand is turned up in the conventional portable computer equipped with the turn-down type tilt stand, a space remains between the bottom surface of the portable computer and the desk surface on which the portable computer is placed, and the space cannot be effectively utilized. In the conventional portable computer having a removable add-on battery, the size is greater than the portable computer having no add-on battery device function, and the portability is therefore lower.
According to the prior art technology capable of fitting the add-on battery in which the battery is fitted to the portable computer by the slide system using the groove and the rail, the add-on battery cannot be fitted easily to the portable computer, if the groove or the rail once undergoes deformation due to a change with time, and fitting becomes difficult in some cases.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable computer which has good operability, is equipped with a removable add-on battery and has a portability equivalent to that of a portable computer having no add-on battery fitting function, though the add-on battery can be fitted.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable computer having an extended station which makes it possible to mount the portable computer thereon while the add-on battery is kept fitted to the personal computer main body.
According to the present invention, there is provided a portable computer equipped with an add-on battery, the computer comprising: a portable computer body having an upper surface, a lower surface and a lower front edge thereof; mounting means for detachably mounting the add-on battery on the lower surface of the portable computer body, the add-on battery having a wedge-shaped portion corresponding to a wedge-like space which is defined between the lower surface of the portable computer body and a surface on which the portable computer body is placed, when the portable computer body is placed to be inclined about the lower front edge of the portable computer body; and the portable computer body, when it is equipped with the add-on battery, being inclined in such a manner that the upper surface of the portable computer body is lower at a front edge thereof.
When the personal computer is placed on the desk surface, etc., while the add-on battery is added thereto, the upper surface of the computer main body on which the key top and operation surface are disposed is inclined so that its front side becomes lower. Therefore, operability becomes excellent. When the add-on battery is not fitted, the portable computer main body itself can be constituted into a thin notebook type. For this reason, even when the add-on battery can be fitted, the personal computer can be constituted into a thin and light-weight structure having portability equivalent to that of a portable personal computer not having the add-on battery fitting function.
The lower surface of the portable computer body has a rear region and the add-on battery has the wedge-shaped portion having a shape corresponding to the wedge-like space at least at the rear portion of the lower surface of the portable computer body. While the add-on battery is fitted, the space between the back of this portable computer and the desk surface, etc, can be effectively utilized, and a function having a high packaging density can be accomplished.
The mounting means comprises: guide means including L-shaped guide grooves along which the add-on battery is first guided toward the lower surface of the portable computer body and then guided forward with respect to the portable computer body; locking means for automatically locking the add-on battery to the lower surface of the portable computer body when the add-on battery is guided forward with respect to the portable computer body; and releasing means for releasing the locking means to allow the add-on battery to be removed from the portable computer body along the L-shaped guide grooves.
In this case, the portable computer body is provided at the lower surface thereof with pairs of left and right L-shaped guide grooves and the add-on battery has pairs of left and right pawls which can be fitted to the L-shaped guide grooves, respectively.
Accordingly, the add-on battery can be easily fitted and removed to and from the portable computer main body, and the add-on battery can be firmly fixed to the portable computer main body at the time of fitting.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable computer comprising: a portable computer body having an upper surface, a lower surface and a lower front edge thereof; an add-on battery detachably mounted on the lower surface of the portable computer body; and an extended station on which the portable computer body is detachably mounted, while the portable computer body is equipped with the add-on battery, the extended station having a recess or an opening for accommodating therein the add-on battery.
When the portable computer is mounted to the extended station while the add-on battery is kept fitted to the computer main body, the add-on battery is accommodated inside a recess portion (or an opening) in the extended station. Therefore, the overall space can be utilized effectively, and an apparatus having a high density can be accomplished. Even when the recess portion exists in the extended station, a printed wiring board, etc, can be disposed below this recess portion and consequently, the arrangement inside the extended station can be made efficiently.